Child&#39;s chair



May 2, 1944. c, SHAY f 2,347,754

CHILDS CHAIR Filed Oct. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1 c. E. SHAY 2,347,754

mum's CHAIR Filed Oct. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2, 1944 .UNiTED STATES PATENT orrlcs awn CHILD'S CHAIR Cora E. Shay, Loo Ange Calif. Application October 15, 1940, Serial No. 881,229

' 6 Claims. (01. 155-22) This invention'g'elates to chairs, chair vehicles and the like, for small children.

An object the invention is to provide a child's chair o vehicle having a metal frame and a fabric seat member of the suspension type, in which the seat can be readily removed from the frame.

Another object is to provide a child's vehicle having an easily detachable handle, whereby the vehicle may be converted from a go-cart to a kidcLv-car or glider.

Another object is to provide a childs vehicle having a wheeled chassis which is easily separable from the superstructure to facilitate conversion of the device from a glider to a chair.

Another object is toprovide a' simple yet strong construction for a childs chair or glider.

Other more specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the drawings, of a particular embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings? Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle in accordance with my invention, shown completely assembled;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a plan view;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the device with the handle, tray and footrest removed, whereby it is converted into a glider;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the device with the wheeled chassis removed, whereby the device is converted into a chair;

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of a portion of the main frame of the device, illustrating the manner of removal and replacement of the seat;

Fig. 'l is a greatly enlarged view illustrating the construction of the joint between the handle frame and the chassis frame of the device;

Fig. 8 is a view of the same parts shown in Fig. 7, when they are interconnected;

Fig. 9 is a detail horizontal section, taken along the plane IX-IX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a detail cross section, taken along the plane X -X of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a detail cross section, taken along the plane XI-XI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a detail cross section, taken along the plane XIII-XII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section, taken along plane XIII-XIII of Fig. 3;

14 is a side elevational view showing the chair anchored to an automabile seat; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the anchoring device shown in Fig. 14.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a child's vehicle having as its essential the component elements a main frame I of solid spring steel rod, a fabric seat and backrest 2, a

handle I, a tray 4, a wheeled chassis 5, and a footrest i.

The chassis I consists of a rectangular frame includng a rear cross member I, a front cross member II and side members l2 and I3, which side members are rigidly connected at their ends, to the ends of the cross members Ill and H, as by welding. The rear cross member l0 constitutes a hollow axle member containing a central shaft (not shown), which terminates at opposite ends of the member III in nondirig'ible supporting wheels ll. The front end of the chassis is supported on' two casters I6 positioned at the two front corners of the chassis. A bumper rod 18 extends laterally and forwardly from the chassis frame to prevent the casters I5 from running into a wall, or the like.

The main frame I, as previously indicated, is formed of strong spring steel rod and includes a front cross section ll adapted to overlie the front cross member H of the-wheeled chassis. At its opposite ends this front cross section I! merges into a pair of rearwardly extending sections I8 adapted to overlie the side members l2 and I3 of the chassis frame substantially throughout their length. The rear ends of these sections I8 curve upwardly and forwardly into a pair of sections 19 which extend diagonally forwardly and upwardly, after which these sections are bent upwardly and rearwardly and merge into horizontal sections 20, which extend rearwardly, substantially horizontally. At their rear ends the sections 20 merge into the lower end of a common backrest section 2| (Fig. 6).

The main frame I is detachably connectible to the chassis frame by three clips. Thus there is secured to the front cross member I! of the main frame a clip 22 *(Fig. 2) which clips over the front cross member II. The other two clips- 23 (Figs. 1 and 11) are secured to the side memq bers of the chassis, near the rear ends thereof, and yieldably engage the side sections l8 of the frame I. The frame I may be assembled on the chassis by holding the rear end of the frame I at a high angle while engaging the front, cross member ll of the chassis under the clip 22, and thereafter swinging the rear end of the frame downwardly about the front cross member II as an axis until the clips 23 engage the sections 18. So long as the clips 23 engage the sections ii, the clip 22 prevents any longitudinal (fore and aft) movement of the front section II. At the same time the rear clips 23 prevent any lateral movement of the rear end of the frame I with respect to the chassis 5. Upstanding bolts 26 that secure the bumper I6 to the chassis frame, prevent lateral movement of the front end of the frame I so long as the latter is engaged by the clip 22.

An important feature of the invention is the construction of the fabric seat member and its fabric seat section 2 includes as its essential parts, a transversely extending loop portion 28 (Fig. 6) which loops over and is suspended between the side sections 24 of theframe i. The lower half of the loop portion a issecured at its rear edge to a back section 28, which back section has formed on its rear upper portion a pocket II which fits over the upper portion 2| of the frame I.

There is also secured to the front edge of the underhalf. of the loop 28 a tongue section' 3! which extends upwardly and is hemmed at its upper edge to receive a cross member 32 having downwardly extending notched ends 38 adapted to be detachably received in eyelets it on. the side sections 20 of the main frame I.

.As will be readily apparent from Fig. 6, the seat fabric 2 may be removed from the device by first detaching the cross member 32 from the eyelets 34 and slipping the cross member out of the tongue member II. Thereafter the back member 29 is lifted upwardly until the pocket 30 is clear of the frame section It, as shown in Fig. 6. Thereafter the back section is swimg forwardly, downwardly, and rearwardly below the section 2| of the frame, after which the loop section as is simply slid rearwardly and upwardly off of the frame. The seat section is replaced by reversing the operations described.

The footrest 6 is formed of a sheet of articulated metal with the side and front edges folded downwardly and inwardly to clip over the main frame members, as shown in Fig. 12, It can be removed by simply springing the edges away from the frame sections l8. When the footrest is removed, a child seated in the chair can touch the floor and navigate, as in any other kiddy-car or glider type of vehicle.

The tray 4 is preferably of solid sheet metal and is secured by clips 40 to the sections 20 of the main frame. The tray also helps to sup port the cross member 32 (Fig. 6) which supports the tongue member 3| of the fabric seat.

' 'I'hus, shown in Fig. 3, an 8-clip 42 engages the rear wall of the tray and supports the center of the cross rod 32, the fabric tongue 3| being recessed at the point of engagement between the clip 42 and the cross rod 32, The tray 4 may be removed, if desired, by forcibly disengaging the clip 40 from the section 2d of the main f'rame.

The handle 3 consists of a U-shaped'hollow rod member, having pins .44 at its twolower ends,

which pins are engageable in recesses 45 in the chassis side sections i2 and i3, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Thus the recesses 45 are elongated vertically and the inner ends of the pins 44 are bent at right angles so that they can be entered into the recesses 45 when the handle is inclined at a low angle, as shown in Fig. 7. However, when the handle is swung up into normal position, as shown in Fig. 8, it is impossible for the pins 44 to become detached from the recesses 45. The handle is yieldably retained in the upper position shown in Fig. l by clips 46 (Fig. on the frame I, which clips are adapted to engage the handle member 3.

In addition to the other uses described, my chair is adaptable for use in an automobile. Thus as shown in Fig. 14, when the chassis is removed, the chair may be set upon the seat cushion it of an automobile with the rear end of the frame i resting against the back cushion Fig. 15, the anchor 52 is formed of a single length of rod having the opposite ends bent into hooks II for engaging the opposite sides'of the frame I adjacent the rearmost portions thereof, as shown in Fig. 14. Adjacent each hook It. the rod extends downwardly between the seat cushion II and the back cushion Ii, and then rearwardly below the bottom edge of the back cushion !I, the midsection of the member I! under-' lying the rear edge of the lower end of the back cushion. With the construction described, the

.chair is positively restrained from tipping for? wardly in response to sudden stoppage of the automobile, since the forces tending to elevate the rear end of the frame I are directly opposed by the anchor rod II.

For the purpose of explaining the invention, a specific embodiment thereof has been described in detail. However, it is to be understood that numerous changes from the exact construction shown can be made without departing from the invention, and the latter is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising: a supporting frame including a pair of side members extending substantially parallel and horizontally, said members being continuous at their rear ends with a back member, a flexible seat comprising a continuous belt section looped about said side members whereby it can be removed and attached by slipping it over said back member, and a flexible back rest continuous at its lower edge with one lap only of said belt section and having an inverted pocket thereon at its upper end for engaging said back member.

2. A device as described in claim 1, with a front cross member detachably connected to said side :members and an auxiliary flemble seat member extending from the front edge of said one lap of said belt section into detachable engagement with said front crossmember.

3. In a device of the type described, a frame of spring rod material having a front transverse base section merging at its respective ends into two rearwardly extending side base sections, the latter merging at their rear ends into intermediate sections extending diagonally forwardly and upwardly and merging at their upper ends into rearwardly and horizontally extending sections, the latter merging into and being interconnected at their rear ends by a common back section, and a seat member suspended from said horizontal section, said seat member comprising a continuous belt section looped about said rearwardly and horizontally extending sections, whereby it can be removed and attached by slipping it over said common back section, and a flexible back rest continuous at its lower edge with one lap only of said beltsection and having an inverted pocket thereon at its upper end for engaging said back section.

4. In a device of the type described, a frame of spring rod material having a front transverse base section merging at its respective ends into two rearwardly extending side base sections, the latter merging at their rear ends into intermediate sections extending dlagonally forwardly and upwardly and merging at their upper ends into rearwardly and horizontally extending sections, the latter merging into and being interconnected at their rear ends by a common back section, and a seat member suspended from said 5| and safely anchored in this position by means horizontal section, said seat member comprising of an anchor 52. As shown to best, advantage in a continuous belt section looped about said rearwardly and horizontally extending sections, whereby it can be removed and attached by slipping it over said common back section, a flexible back rest continuous at its lower edge with one loop only of said belt section, and having an inverted pocket thereon at its upper end for engaging said backrsection, a front cross member detachably connected to said rearwardly and horizontally extending section, an an auxiliary flexible seat member extending from the front edge of said one loop of said belt section into detachable engagement with said front cross member.

5. In combination, a childs chair having a base adapted to rest upon the seat cushion of an automobile, and an anchor member therefor comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, said vertical portion having means at its upper end for connecting it with said chair and said horizontal portion merging into the lower end of said vertical portion and extending rearwardly therefrom, whereby said vertical portion is adapted to extend downwardly from the chair between the seat and back cushions respectively of said automobile and said horizontal section is adapted to extend below and to be held down by said back cushion.

6. The combination as described in claim 5,. in which said chair has two laterally spaced frame members and said vertical portion of said anchor member comprises a pair of laterally spaced rod members having at their upper ends connecting means connecting respectively with said two frame members of said chair, and said horizontal portion comprises a member extending between and interconnecting the lower ends of said rod members.

CORA E. SHAY. 

